Loading an array with the first field in a multi line file

[jping45]

Hi all - -

I want to load an array, to be used later for a system command, with the first field in a multi-line file. The input file will have anywhere from 2 to 150 lines, give or take a few lines...

EX:

aaa 111 222 333
bbb 123 123 123
ccc 345 345 345
.
.

and have the value of the array be: aaa bbb ccc

any help would be great...

 

[feherke]

Hi

awk '{a[NR]=$1}END{print "your data is in array a now"}' /input/file

Feherke.

http://rootshell.be/~feherke/

 

[jping45]

Another question for you..
how can I get the value of each element in the array printed on a single line?

 

[feherke]

Hi

Then a question I was lazy to ask before : what have you tried so far and how your code fails ?

Feherke.

http://rootshell.be/~feherke/

 

[jping45]

Here's what I have so far...

awk '{a[NR]=$1}END{print a[NR]}' INPUTFILE

But this only prints the last element...

which in the above example would be "ccc"

 

[PHV]

Why an array ?
A starting point

awk '{printf "%s ",$1}' INPUTFILE

Hope This Helps, PH.
FAQ219-2884
FAQ181-2886

 

[jping45]

that's exactally what I've been looking for!!! thanks for the assistance...